Final answer:
A case-control study design is used to investigate the association between a specific trait or behavior and a particular outcome in epidemiology. It compares individuals with the trait of interest (cases) to those without the trait (controls). Researchers can use this design to study various factors like smoking and lung cancer.
Step-by-step explanation:
A case-control study design is used in epidemiology to investigate the association between a specific trait or behavior and a particular outcome, such as disease. This design compares a group of individuals with the trait of interest (cases) to a similar group without the trait (controls). It is a retrospective study, meaning that subjects are asked to report their past behaviors.
For example, researchers may use a case-control study to examine the association between smoking and lung cancer. They would compare a group of lung cancer patients (cases) to a group of individuals without lung cancer (controls).
The main advantage of using a case-control study design is that it is efficient and cost-effective, especially when studying rare outcomes. However, one limitation is the potential for recall bias, as subjects rely on their memory to report past behaviors.